Re:Computer virus hits US Predator and Reaper drone fleet
by tedunangst on Saturday October 08, 2011 @03:07PM
(#3088667)
I'd say you're being downvoted because you're rather clueless about the qualifications of the manager designing unmanned drones.
Re:Computer virus hits US Predator and Reaper drone fleet
by rbanffy on Saturday October 08, 2011 @06:10PM
(#3089041)
Now I am curious. Why would Windows end up in such a system? I would expect an RTOS like QNX (which is not that hard to program).
I agree I am more familiar with corporate IT disasters where some pointy-haired boss decided Windows was the way to go instead of what would be the optimal choice, but I always expected flight-control software to be built with a great amount of attention to every detail.
For the only reasons such stupid thing happens: the clueless manager wants the machine to run a modern OS and thinks Windows is the most modern OS out there.
post-downvote edit: I am saying nothing about viruses like Stuxnet, designed as weapons tailored to infect specific systems, for which no OS would be safe, but how brain-dead is it to design critical systems that control airborne weapon systems around an OS that's vulnerable to each and every piece of malware known to man?